An equine veterinary practice in Derbyshire is emphasising the importance of responsible worming following the sudden death of a seemingly healthy horse from severe worm damage.

An equine veterinary practice in Derbyshire is emphasising the importance of responsible worming following the sudden death of a seemingly healthy horse from severe worm damage.

Veterinary surgeon Kirsty MacGregor, of Bakewell Equine Clinic in Derbyshire, was called out earlier this year to examine a six-year-old horse which had suddenly dropped down dead in the field.

The horse had appeared normal on the day of turn out. He was outwardly healthy and had relatively good body condition. However, within minutes he had fallen in mid-stride, indicating a very sudden death. A full post mortem confirmed that the cause of death was “verminous thromboembolism” – a fatal blood clot caused by severe worm damage.

The horse was kept on a large DIY yard with around 40 other horses and ponies. With so many individual owners it had proved difficult to implement a regular worm control programme although the yard owner and her liveries had tried hard to manage the situation.

Subsequently, Bakewell vets have treated all horses on the yard and, at the yard owner’s request, put together a worm control programme for all the horses.

Having seen a number of cases involving encysted small redworm infestation this year, presenting symptoms such as violent colic and weight loss which in some cases have proved fatal, Bakewell Equine Clinic has put together ten tips to help horse owners make sure they keep their horses safe from worms:

Use diagnostics on a regular basis to build a picture of your horse’s worm burden.